By Lowell McCulley | April 28, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Tuesday April 28th. Flash back to Sunday.. We joined MoonDrifter crew to go to the farmers market in Loreto. The haul was so large it took two dinging trips to get crews and supplies back on board. In the picture right Gato Locos stores overflow with fresh fruit. No scurrvy on this leg 🙂 We […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 27, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Neely Cruising Baja Well I got the crossing behind me and a full week on board. I do have to say I am getting very comfortable on Gato Loco. My days begin with a early morning feeding than a ride on the dingy (my favorite) to shore. While on shore my parents take me […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 26, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Friday Leaving San Jaunico always requires leaving a token offering on the cruisers tree. Neely found a cool piece of drift wood that became Baja09 Leg 2’s offering. Last years stone was still hanging so we were able to do a little maintenance and hang the new addition. Since Gato Loco will probably be here […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 24, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Pod of 200+ dolphins feeding on our way to Isla San Ildefonso. With us for over an hour. Fishing report 🙂 Yes, we’re finally eating fresh fish. Leaving Mulege the fish are biting. With a little help from the local fishermen sharing their fishing secrets, we are able to land a couple of nice ones! […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 23, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Hola from Mulege Our south anchorage of San Marcos has great protection but is a little buggie. They’re out early this morning so we motored away early on glassy seas towards Punta Chivato. It’s much warmer today and arriving at Chivato we hit the water before heading in to the resort. Neely was SO READY […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 22, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Well another sailing season has begun and I get to be part of the adventure. My parents and I drove Pee Wee (our small van motor home) to San Carlos where Gato Loco was waiting for us. I got excited to see the marina cuz I know that meant we were going on the boat. […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 21, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Santa Rosalia ferry terminal across from the Singlar Marina . Day 1 ended with some serious exercise walking the quiet streets on Sunday night. Unfortunately when we settled in for the evening my photo memory card died so all images were lost from day 1. Lessen learned, I’m backing up on the boat computer. Slow […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 20, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Once again I was fortunate to be invited back on another week aboard Gato Loco for the Baja ’09 trip. Gato Loco is owned by my friends in Cholla Bay and is a 32′ seawind cruising catamaran. This year, myself, Cynthia and Bruce Tegge, and Bill Hensler took leg one which was Puerto Penasco to […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 19, 2009 | Category Baja 09
9 AM Sunday morning, wind out of the NW at 8-10, seas 2′, making 7+ motorsailing, 46kms remain of the 72 to cross to Santa Rosalia. Strategy is to get as far across as we can before the afternoon winds build. Bill’s experience this past week has been serious winds in the afternoon (usually 30+). […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 19, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Victor & Leslie Rangel, Bill, Frankie, Neely & Lowell are onboard for Leg 2 as we pull away from Marina Real at 5 AM Sunday morning bound for Santa Rosalia. Distance 72km. Hoping for a 10 – 12 hour crossing to Baja. . . . . Victor already caught the first fish of Leg 2 […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 18, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Leg 1, Friday/Saturday, April 17,18 Ahoy! Woke early this morning to cool temps and light winds and readied the boat for our crossing. We said farewell to a great anchorage and headed off into the sunrise. Next stop Ensenada Posomoreno. About 30mi across we passed south of lone Isla San Pedro Martir. Just to the […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 18, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Ahoy! Leg 1, day 6, April 16 Winds picked up during the night to about 16knts and cool air set in. After daybreak we noticed large swells to our west so it was decided to take an easy motorsail to Bahia San Francisquito. Once out the winds were averaging 20knts from the North-Northwest and again […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 18, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Ahoy! Leg 1, day 5, April 15 Woke this morning to swirling winds and fog climbing over some of the peaks behind Bay of L. A. After a run to the local Pemex station for fuel we decided to set sail for our next destination Isla Salsipuedes. Fifteen minutes out the west winds returned, blowing […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 18, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Ahoy! Leg 1, Tuesday, April 14 The weather started getting rough, the tiny ship was tossed, if not for courage of the fearless crew, the Gato Loco would be lost!!! Heading out of Puerto Refugio everthing looked good until we got out into the middle of Canal de Bellenas, a five mile wide channel […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 18, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Ahoy! Leg 1, Monday, April 13 The crew aboard Gato Loco hope all had a wonderful Easter. Our Easter in Gonzaga Bay was capped off with margs, great Mexican food, and a colorful sunset at Alfonsina’s restaurant. Monday we woke to calm conditions and clear skies. Next stop Puerto Refugio on the northern end of […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 16, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Lowell here… I was wrong about Sting Reay still being with Gato Loco. I assumed since nothing was mentioned that both boats were still together. Sting Reay’s engine problems apparently forced them to return from Ganzaga Bay to Penasco via Puertecitos. Read yet another harrowing story from Craig about him and John’s challenges to return […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 15, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Now I know what Gilligan went thru!! Had one nasty day going thru the channel from Puerto Refugio to Bay of LA. 45mph winds!!! Next year Lowell you can do this leg!! Lost a chair and the the trash can so could you bring down one of each when you head to San Carlos. Clyde […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 13, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Ahoy! Leg 1, day 2 Gato Loco exited Puerto Penasco’s harbor at 6:20pm with the sun, swells and wind on our nose and the Rocky Point Easter weekend zoo at our backs. I’ve never seen so many people in that town. About two hours after sunset Clyde alerted me to the most spectacular phosphorescent show […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 11, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Ahoy! Here’s to the beginning of another adventure aboard Gato Loco with friends and family. The owners Lowell and Frankie McCulley, Rick Quant, Dave and Ellen Redden and Bill Hensler invite you to join them on Gato Loco as we travel to the many beautiful destinations throughout the Sea of Cortez. Leg 1 crew Bruce […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 10, 2009 | Category Baja 09
Whale cruisin by the Cholla house at sunset background:#ddffdd;size:720×540 Thursday the weather was perfect. Bruce and Cynthia went sailing in their Catalina 25 and we had a beautiful sunset with a rare appearance of a whale as we watched the sunset. Today brought big changes with 30+ mh winds, lots of blowing sand and big […]
Read MoreBy Lowell McCulley | April 7, 2009 | Category Baja 09
The GatoLoco leg 1 crew (Bill, Cynthia, Clyde & Bruce) are hoping to head south on Friday night, sailing through the night and arriving at Isla San Luis Saturday morning 9ish. The current forecast however is for bad weather on Saturday, The system would have less influence further south so if it is late arriving […]
Read More